With the growth of computing systems, there is also a growth in the number of peripheral components, where a peripheral component is any attachable electrical and/or mechanical component, such as, but not limited to, a printer, a mouse, a joystick, a keypad or a display device. A common computing system includes, but not limited to, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or any other suitable system, including a processor and at least one interface for allowing interactivity with a peripheral component. Current system limitations provide for only a finite number of peripheral components to be connected to the computing system. Furthermore, there are a growing number of interfaces for allowing more devices to be connected to the computing system, such as, but not limited to, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector, a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) or an accelerated graphics port (AGP) bus.
As the number of connections to the computing system is limited, a solution is a remote connector having a plurality of input ports, commonly referred to as a hub. The remote connector is thereupon coupled to the computing system, occupying a single input port of the computing system, but providing multiple input ports for connecting various peripheral components. The input port may consist of a physical receptacle for engaging a peripheral connector, the input port may further consist of one or more memory modules for providing direct interface between the computing system and the peripheral device and the input port may further contain any other suitable elements, as recognized by one having ordinary skill in the art, for providing improved interconnectivity and communication between a connected peripheral component and the computing system.
One example of a remote connector is a USB hub that consists of multiple USB input ports coupled to a central internal bus. In one embodiment, the USB hub thereupon allows multiple peripheral components to be coupled to the computing system across a central USB through a USB connector coupled to a USB port in the computing system. In accordance with known USB technology, the computing system may thereupon interact with multiple peripheral components in a daisy-chain configuration.
Furthermore, the remote connectors, such as USB hubs, can be powered-using two different types of power sources. A bus-powered remote connector device is powered by a power source supplied across the bus connecting the remote connector to the computing system. Another type of remote connector is a self-powered remote connector that contains a connector for an external power source. In one embodiment, the external power source may be a standard 110 volt outlet, wherein a power supply amount to power the remote connector device is provided across a power supply input.
Another aspect of modern computing systems is a power-saving step performed by the computing system known as operating in a suspend mode. In a typical computing system, after a timed duration, or in response to a user command, the computing system may enter into a low-power consumption mode, otherwise commonly referred to as the suspend mode or the sleep mode. While within the suspend mode, the computing system requires less power and operates in accordance with known power consumption reduction technologies, such as eliminating an external display and powering down a memory component.
Concurrent with a suspend mode, computing systems also have triggers for allowing the computing system to return to normal operations, commonly referred to as waking up. In a typical computing system, a wake-up command is generated, wherein the wake-up command typically consists of a command to the central processor, or some other processor, to increase power consumption and resume normal computer operations. One example of a triggering action for a wake-up command is depressing any key on an attached keypad or keyboard. Another example of a triggering action is the movement of a peripheral device, such as a mouse.
Some computing systems execute operations that may be specific to a peripheral input device. For example; in a computing system having graphics processing, such as an All-In-Wonder device available from ATI Technologies, Inc., the system has the ability to perform operations in response to specific commands. One available option for some graphics processing systems is a remote control, such as any suitable remote device capable of transmitting a wireless command signal. One such example is the ATI RF Remote Receiver, available from ATI Technologies, Inc., which encompasses a radio frequency (RF) receiver that provides an input command to the computing system via a USB port. The wireless receiver is typically powered through the connecting port, similar to the bus-powered remote connector.
Problems arise while the computing system is operating in a suspend mode, in that the wireless receiver fails to receive enough power. Therefore, while the computing system is in a suspend mode, the wireless receiver is rendered inoperative. As there does not exist a receiver for the remote device, the remote device is thereupon unable to wake up the computing system and thereupon the computing system must be manually retrieved from suspend mode.
Another problem occurs with other types of receiving devices, as they may be implemented using an infrared transmitter, which requires a line of sight between the remote device and the wireless device. Therefore, an end user not only is required to have the receiving device visibly accessible, but also must align the remote device with the receiving device for the proper transmission of a wireless command. Furthermore, an infrared receiving device still fails to overcome the lack of power to operate the receiver when the computing system is in a suspend mode.
Since the number of input ports in a typical computing system is limited, another concern arises in using one of the limited number of input ports to couple the wireless receiver to the computing system. Therefore, it is not advantageous to connect the wireless receiver to one of the limited number of ports when the receiver itself is rendered inoperative during a suspend mode and the receiver does not have enough power to instruct the computing system to resume normal operations, exiting the suspend mode.
As such, there exists a need for a remote connector providing a plurality of input ports and allowing for the reception of a wireless command from a remote receiver when the computing system is in a suspend mode.